The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
In conventional database systems, users access their data resources in one logical database. A user of such a conventional system typically retrieves data from and stores data on the system using software applications installed on the user's own systems. A user system might remotely access one of a plurality of server systems that might in turn access the database system. Cloud computing allows users to access applications and services through a web browser. By doing so, users avoid having to download and install software applications onto their own machines. Cloud computing also allows for seamless upgrading of cloud based software by the provider, without inconveniencing the user of the software by requiring the user to be involved in the software upgrade process.
As cloud computing grows in popularity, there exists a need for tools that allow users to customize, develop, and enhance the systems the users use to better suit the users' needs. More specifically, online tools that allow a user to perform development through a web browser anywhere, anytime, or on any machine with a web browser and an internet connection. Many cloud computing services provide database and/or database like functionality. Unfortunately, cloud computing services do not provide convenient online tools for designing and building databases, or online database schema.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide techniques for enabling the designing and building of schema in an on-demand services environment to improve the efficiency and convenience of system development.